Raptors Select Roko Ukic and Uros Slokar in Round 2 of NBA Draft
(June 28, 2005) -- The Toronto Raptors announced Tuesday they selected Croatian guard Roko Ukic (pronounced RO-ko OO-keech) with the 41st pick and Slovenian forward Uros Slokar (pronounced OO-rosh SLOW-car) with the 58th pick in the second round of the 2005 NBA Draft.
Ukic is an early entry candidate for the 2005 NBA Draft. He was originally an early entry candidate for the 2004 NBA Draft before withdrawing his name from consideration.
Ukic, who turned 21 in May, spent the past four seasons in the Adriatic League with KK Split where he averaged 13.5 points, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals in 94 games. He started playing basketball for Split in 1992 on the cadet and junior teams, winning a national championship twice with the cadet team and earning MVP honours of the Croat cadet championship in 2000.
Ukic, 6-foot-5, 183 pounds, is a former member of the Croatian Junior National Team, earning a gold medal at the 2002 European Junior Championship. He played in the 2003 World Junior Championships in Greece, averaging 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.6 steals per game.
Ukic averaged career highs of 18.5 points and 4.3 assists in 26 games with KK Split this past season. He ranked third in the league in scoring and assists, and finished second in minutes played (35.2 mpg).
In the 2003-04 season, Ukic averaged 15.4 points, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals in 24 contests. He also appeared in ULEB Cup action, averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals in seven games.
Ukic contributed 13.0 points, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals in Adriatic League play in 2002-03. He also appeared in seven games in the FIBA Champions Cup, averaging 13.1 points, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals.
In his rookie campaign with KK Split in 2001-02, Ukic contributed 5.9 points and 1.2 assists. As a 17-year-old, he started 10 of 22 contests. Slokar, 6-foot-10, 238 pounds, was an early entry candidate in the 2004 NBA Draft before withdrawing his name for consideration. He averaged 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 8.7 minutes last year for Benetton Treviso in Italian SeriesA and 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in 9.9 minutes in the Euroleague.
He appeared in 30 games during the 2003-04 regular season for Benetton, averaging 3.3 points. In Euroleague action he averaged 4.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 15 contests.
He began his professional career in 2002-03 with KD Slovan of the Slovenian League where he averaged 17.3 points and 6.4 rebounds and was named 2003 Slovenian Rookie of the Year.
Ukic is an early entry candidate for the 2005 NBA Draft. He was originally an early entry candidate for the 2004 NBA Draft before withdrawing his name from consideration.
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Uros Slokar is a versatile big man. (NBAE/Getty Images) |
Ukic, who turned 21 in May, spent the past four seasons in the Adriatic League with KK Split where he averaged 13.5 points, 2.6 assists and 1.7 steals in 94 games. He started playing basketball for Split in 1992 on the cadet and junior teams, winning a national championship twice with the cadet team and earning MVP honours of the Croat cadet championship in 2000.
Ukic, 6-foot-5, 183 pounds, is a former member of the Croatian Junior National Team, earning a gold medal at the 2002 European Junior Championship. He played in the 2003 World Junior Championships in Greece, averaging 19.8 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists and 2.6 steals per game.
Ukic averaged career highs of 18.5 points and 4.3 assists in 26 games with KK Split this past season. He ranked third in the league in scoring and assists, and finished second in minutes played (35.2 mpg).
In the 2003-04 season, Ukic averaged 15.4 points, 2.8 assists and 2.0 steals in 24 contests. He also appeared in ULEB Cup action, averaging 13.3 points, 4.9 assists and 2.0 steals in seven games.
Ukic contributed 13.0 points, 2.1 assists and 1.8 steals in Adriatic League play in 2002-03. He also appeared in seven games in the FIBA Champions Cup, averaging 13.1 points, 3.9 assists and 1.6 steals.
In his rookie campaign with KK Split in 2001-02, Ukic contributed 5.9 points and 1.2 assists. As a 17-year-old, he started 10 of 22 contests. Slokar, 6-foot-10, 238 pounds, was an early entry candidate in the 2004 NBA Draft before withdrawing his name for consideration. He averaged 2.8 points and 2.7 rebounds in 8.7 minutes last year for Benetton Treviso in Italian SeriesA and 3.3 points and 1.7 rebounds in 9.9 minutes in the Euroleague.
He appeared in 30 games during the 2003-04 regular season for Benetton, averaging 3.3 points. In Euroleague action he averaged 4.6 points and 2.2 rebounds in 15 contests.
He began his professional career in 2002-03 with KD Slovan of the Slovenian League where he averaged 17.3 points and 6.4 rebounds and was named 2003 Slovenian Rookie of the Year.
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